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America's Unbeaten Food Challenges

For many people, the word eating challenge evokes the iconic scene in the movie "The Great Outdoors,"when John Candy tackles “The Old 96er” to the chagrin of his digestive tract. More recently, the Travel Channel’s "Man vs. Food" show has popularized eating challenges, which have increasingly become a strategy for restaurants across the country to make a name for themselves, draw in new customers, and simply have fun.

For those testing their fortitude through eating challenges, clearing a plate of outrageously large or spicy meals will often win them a T-shirt, their photo on the wall, and dinner on the house. There are some challenges, however, that push the limits of consumption and no individual has yet to cross the proverbial finish line.